【英语】江苏省海安高级中学2019-2020学年高二下学期期末考试试题

【英语】江苏省海安高级中学2019-2020学年高二下学期期末考试试题

江苏省海安高级中学2019-2020学年高二下学期期末考试 英语试题 第一部分 听力 (共两节，满分 30 分) ‎ 第一节 (共 5 小题；每小题 1.5 分，满分 7.5 分)‎ 听下面 5 段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的 A、B、C 三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每段对话后，你都有 10 秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。‎ 1. What does the woman ask the man to do?‎ A. Wait for her. B. Move forward. C. Wait in line.‎ 2. What do we know about the woman?‎ A. She is a waitress.‎ B. She runs a restaurant.‎ C. She owns a flower shop.‎ 3. What is the woman going to do next?‎ A. Eat something. B. Go home to rest. C. Go to see a doctor.‎ 4. Where does the conversation take place?‎ A. At a gas station. B. In a post office. C. At school.‎ 5. How much did a kilogram of green beans cost five years ago?‎ A. 10 yuan. B. 15 yuan. C. 20 yuan.‎ 第二节 (共 15 小题，每小题 1.5 分，满分 22.5 分)‎ 听下面 5 段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的 A、B、C 三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题 5 秒钟；听完后，各小题将给出 5 秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。‎ 听第 6 段材料，回答第 6、7 题。‎ 6. What do we know about the comedy show?‎ A. It has a complex plot.‎ B. It is shown every other day.‎ A. The leading actor is very handsome.‎ 2. How does the woman feel about the leading actor?‎ A. He will make a famous star.‎ B. He’s very hardworking.‎ C. He needs more professional support.‎ 听第 7 段材料，回答第 8、9 题。‎ 3. Which flight will Mr. White take tomorrow?‎ A. Flight 821. B. Flight 123. C. Flight 823.‎ 4. When should Mr. White go to pick up his ticket?‎ A. By 1:30 p.m. B. By 7:20 p.m. C. By 8:00 p.m.‎ 听第 8 段材料，回答第 10 至 12 题。‎ 5. What was the woman responsible for in her last job?‎ A. Management. B. Translation. C. Marketing.‎ 6. What benefited the woman a lot during her business trip to China?‎ A. Her professional skills.‎ B. Her language skills.‎ C. Her meetings with key people.‎ 7. What does the woman like best about this job?‎ A. Train travel. B. Plane travel. C. High salary.‎ 听第 9 段材料，回答第 13 至 16 题。‎ 8. What is the possible relationship between the speakers?‎ A. Doctor and patient.‎ B. Teacher and student.‎ C. Mother and son.‎ 9. What is the boy’s uncle?‎ A. A doctor. B. A nurse. C. An insurance agent.‎ 10. Why did the boy refuse to talk about his dream at first?‎ A. He was afraid of being laughed at.‎ B. His uncle didn’t want him to talk about it.‎ C. He was worried that it wouldn’t come true.‎ 2. How does the woman feel about the boy’s idea?‎ A. It’s funny. B. It’s impractical. C. It’s excellent.‎ 听第 10 段材料，回答第 17 至 20 题。‎ 3. How did the speaker first learn about the Leaning Tower of Pisa?‎ A. By travelling.‎ B. By watching TV.‎ C. By reading books.‎ 4. What did the speaker imagine the Leaning Tower of Pisa as?‎ A. A museum. B. A castle. C. A restaurant.‎ 5. Why is the speaker against fixing the tower?‎ A. It is unique.‎ B. It will be too costly.‎ C. It was designed to look the way it is.‎ 6. What does the speaker say about imperfect things?‎ A. There is nothing we can do about them.‎ B. They are more interesting than perfect things.‎ C. They can last longer than perfect things.‎ 第二部分 阅读 (共两节，满分 50 分)‎ 第一节 (共 15 小题; 每小题 2.5 分，满分 37.5 分)‎ 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的 A、B、C、D 四个选项中选出最佳选项。‎ A A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa awarded to persons wishing to travel to one or many of the countries that make of the 26 European country Schengen Area. It grants (授予) each holder entry to all the countries in the area on a single visa. Several new Schengen visa ‎ application rules came into force in all countries on February 2, 2020. Check out some of the major changes:‎ Increased visa fees The Schengen visa fee has increased from 60 euros to 80 for adults, while children aged between 6 and 12 now need to pay 40 euros instead of 35.‎ The rise in fees is to increase staff numbers, ensure stronger security screenings, and upgrade IT equipment and software, according to the European Commission.‎ Electronic application form The application process has been greatly simplified. Schengen member states now accept electronic applications, and the application form can be signed and submitted electronically.‎ Longer application submission periods Schengen visa applicants used to apply as early as three months ahead of their trip. Today applications can be submitted up to six months in advance.‎ Benefits for frequent travelers Those who have previously visited the Schengen Area and have a positive visa history will be granted the opportunity to get a multiple-entry visa valid for up to five years. That is, people who have lawfully used their previous visas, have a good economic standing in their home countries, and intend to leave the area before their Schengen visa expires ( 过 期 ) will now have the chance to get a visa for up to five years with multiple entries.‎ 1. If a couple with a seven-year-old kid apply for Schengen visas, how much should they pay under the new rules?‎ A. 45 euros. B. 80 euros. C. 155 euros. D. 200 euros.‎ 2. When applying for a Schengen visa now, you can .‎ A. upgrade your computer software B. hand in an electronic application form C. get all your materials ready before February 2‎ D. turn in your application 9 months in advance 3. To frequent travelers to the Schengen Area, the new rules are more .‎ A. specific B. complicated C. favourable D. rigid B As many of us know, having an older relative can be demanding especially when it comes to addressing concerns about their safety. Yes, grandma might still be able to function on her own during routine activities, but what if she was targeted by criminals and robbed in her own home?‎ Good news: there’s a simple solution. Just have your grandmother start weightlifting at the gym every day until she becomes a world-famous weight lifter capable of laying some sick Dwayne Johnson smackdown on any intruder (入侵者) foolish enough to try and smell what she’s probably cooking. It’s extreme, but it works, apparently.‎ As reported by the Associated Press, on November 21st, 2019, a young man approached the home of 82-year-old Rochester resident Willie Murphy, claiming that he needed an ambulance. When Murphy called first responders without opening the door, the man reportedly forced his way into the house.‎ And that, as the old saying goes, is when things got real.‎ The intruder was apparently painfully unaware that Murphy is an award-winning bodybuilder whose near-daily trips to the local YMCA have resulted in her ability to lift over 200 pounds, a capability which she put on full display when she “hit him with a table”. She then beat the intruder with a broom, and in a self-defense maneuver, poured shampoo in his face. Police arrived on the scene in time to witness the would-be burglar getting the crap kicked out of him by an old lady.‎ Murphy, who won the 2014 World Natural Powerlifting Federation Lifter of the Year award, decided not to send him to court, instead using the time to win everybody in the world over with the quote “I was whaling on that man... ‘Cause I said to myself, ‘If it’s my time to go to hell, I’m taking him with me’”.‎ And, in case you were worried, the man got his ambulance ride after all.‎ 1. Why did the young man come to Murphy’s home?‎ A. He was paying Murphy a visit.‎ B. He was planning to rob Murphy.‎ A. He expected Murphy to call an ambulance.‎ B. He was attracted by the smell of Murphy’s cooking.‎ 2. What do we know about Murphy from the passage?‎ A. She is as strong as Dwayne Johnson.‎ B. She was worried about the intruder.‎ C. She started weightlifting at a very young age.‎ D. She works out in the local gym almost every day.‎ 3. What happened to the young man in the end?‎ A. He was charged with burglary.‎ B. He went to hell with Murphy.‎ C. He was knocked down by the police.‎ D. He was taken away by an ambulance.‎ 4. What is the tone of this news report?‎ A. Humorous and ironic. B. Serious and bitter.‎ C. Persuasive and entertaining. D. Sympathetic and positive.‎ C Some people described the civil rights era, in the 1950s and 1960s as “the greatest singing movement in American history”. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called music “the soul of the movement”.‎ Integrating singing into the cause was a deliberate choice by the movement’s organizers. It took advantage of a rich cultural tradition of music-making in communities with African American roots. Singing spirituals ( 圣歌) together was a key motivating activity during meetings, church services, sit-ins and freedom rides. Singing together made people feel strong. Singing inspired activists to stand up to the verbal ( 言语的) and physical assaults, to the police dogs, and to the high-pressure fire hoses aimed at them. Singing spirituals united people and focused them on their goals—freedom and equality.‎ The movement’s songs were mostly updated traditional African American spirituals. “We Shall Overcome” is probably its most famous song. Later on, the song, slightly changed to “We ‎ Will Overcome”, was taught to labor organizers in the 1940s at the Highlander Folk School. By 1952, a recording of the song was released, but the words had been changed again to “We Shall Overcome”.‎ By the late 1950s, the song was being taught to civil rights activists at the Highlander. That’s where King first heard it. At the end of meetings, everyone would rise, join hands, and sing the song. Today, it has spread around the world and can be heard wherever freedom and justice are threatened.‎ ‎“Free at Last” was another popular civil rights song. Like “We Shall Overcome”, it inspired singers to continue with a difficult struggle. It sings of the dream and promise of freedom, urging everyone to join hands and to not give up hope. King ended his famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington by quoting a line from it: “Free at last, free at last!”‎ Taking a cue from the strengths of older African American traditions, music expressed the soul of the civil rights movement. Songs and singing proved essential nonviolent weapons in the struggle for freedom.‎ 1. The second paragraph is mainly about .‎ A. what the goals of the civil rights movement were B. on what occasions African Americans sang together C. why organizers employed singing in the civil rights movement D. how African Americans started the tradition of singing together 2. What does the underlined word “assaults” probably mean in Paragraph 2?‎ A. Violent attacks. B. Severe problems.‎ C. Serious disabilities. D. Potential dangers.‎ 3. What do the songs “We Shall Overcome” and “Free at Last” have in common?‎ A. Both underwent a lot of changes.‎ B. Both required singers to stand up to sing.‎ C. Both influenced Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.‎ D. Both are still very popular around the globe.‎ 1. What might be the best title for the passage?‎ A. King—hero of the civil rights movement B. Music—soul of the civil rights movement C. Freedom—dream of African Americans D. Singing—language to unite Americans D ‎“Super-agers” have long puzzled scientists, but now researchers say they are unpicking why some people live beyond 80 and still appear to be well.‎ Researchers say studies show that super-agers appear to adapt more easily to the slings and arrows of life, and are more open-minded and less sensitive. But they have also made another discovery. Looking at the brains of 10 super-agers after they died, Prof Emily Rogalski, from Northwestern University said they discovered these individuals have more of a certain type of brain cell known as Von Economo neurons ( 神经) than average elderly individuals. “We can’t explain how they ended up with more Von Economo neurons or why that is important. But these are a special type of neurons that have only been found in a couple of regions of the brain.”‎ Studies have shown there are other differences as well. “When we look at the rate of cognitive ( 认知的) thinning in the cognitively average 80-year-olds, their brains are thinning at nearly two and a half times that of the super-agers,” said Rogalski.‎ Being underweight also seemed to matter, with those who had a very low body mass index after the age of 80 more likely to die. It’s not bad to be skinny when you’re young but it is when you’re old.‎ The researchers say they have also found that the common bad habits do not necessarily lead to an early grave, with many super-agers saying they smoked and enjoyed a drink. “We ask them why is it that you think you are a super-ager, how did you get here, and there are a couple of funny ladies and they will say, well it’s because I have some alcohol with my friends every day at 5 o’clock. Others have never had a drink,” said Rogalski.‎ However, Rogalski added, that did not mean that people should take up bad habits to live longer, noting that some people might have a genetic makeup that allowed them to tolerate ‎ smoking and drinking. Nonetheless, Rogalski thinks we can learn from super-agers. “We are getting quite good at extending our lifespan but our health span isn’t keeping up and what the super-agers have is more of a balance between those two, they are living long and living well,” she said.‎ 1. What can we learn about Von Economo neurons?‎ A. They can be found all over the super-agers’ brains.‎ B. They lead to super-agers’ easier adaptation to hardships.‎ C. Super-agers are found to have more of them in their brains.‎ D. Scientists have discovered how they are produced in brains.‎ 2. Compared to the average elderly, super-agers .‎ A. have better life habits B. tend to drink more alcohol C. are usually much slimmer D. are slower in brain thinning 3. What does Rogalski intend to tell us by the underlined sentence?‎ A. We should develop good habits to live longer.‎ B. We should seek to live well while living long.‎ C. Super-agers should help us extend our health span.‎ D. Extending lifespan is harder than keeping health span.‎ 4. What is the writer’s purpose in writing the passage?‎ A. To reveal some secrets of super-agers.‎ B. To introduce the ways of staying young.‎ C. To explain the advantages of living long.‎ D. To describe various habits of super-agers.‎ 第二节 (共 5 小题；每小题 2.5 分，满分 12.5 分)‎ 阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。‎ Secrets of the Rainbow The storm is over: the sun is shining. But when you go outside, the rain is still falling, and you see a breathtaking sight in the sky: a shimmering arch of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple light. No pot of gold sits at that rainbow’s end. 36 Rainbows are rare because they need two things that don’t often go together: sunlight and rain. 37 But it contains all the colors of the rainbow. A rainbow appears when raindrops split these colors apart, letting us see them.‎ In empty space, all these colors travel equally fast: 671 million miles an hour. But when sunlight passes through water, it slows down. 38 These differences in speed make a rainbow. Red light goes fastest. Orange is almost as fast. Yellow is a little slower, and green is a little slower than that. Blue is slower still, and purple light is the slowest.‎ As light enters water, it bends, or refracts ( 折 射 ). The amount of refraction depends on how fast the light travels through water. So once sunlight enters a raindrop, the different colors split apart and travel separate paths. 39 They exit the front of the raindrop, bending again as they go from water to air. So they are still on separate paths, with the different colors next to one another, and you see a rainbow when you look at the falling raindrops.‎ After you find a rainbow, look for a second rainbow outside the main one. It’s called a secondary rainbow and is usually fainter, so it’s harder to see. 40 The main rainbow has red on top and purple on bottom. The secondary rainbow has red on bottom and purple on top.‎ A. Sunlight usually looks pale.‎ B. Its colors are in the opposite order.‎ C. Instead, a rainbow is its own reward.‎ D. There’s more to a rainbow than we can see.‎ E. Some colors go through water faster than others.‎ F. Then the colors reflect off the back of the raindrop.‎ G. A rainbow only needs the right mix of sunlight and rain.‎ 第三部分 语言运用 (共两节，满分 30 分)‎ 第一节 (共 15 小题; 每小题 1 分，满分 15 分)‎ 阅读下面短文，从每题所给的 A、B、C、D 四个选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。‎ The greatest saleswoman in the world today doesn’t mind if you call her a girl. That’s because Markita Andrews has 41 more than $80,000 by selling cookies since she was seven years old. Going door to door after school, the painfully shy Markita 42 herself into a cookie-selling expert.‎ It 43 with desire. Burning, white-hot desire.‎ Markita and her widowed mother 44 a dream of traveling the globe. Once, Markita read a magazine article, saying that the child who sold the most cookies would win an all-expenses-paid trip for two around the world. She decided to have a ‎ 45 at it.‎ To realize her dream, Markita went door to door every day after school, and repeated, “Hi, I have a dream. I’m 46 a trip around the world for my mom and me by selling cookies.” Then she asked, “Would you like to 47 in my dream by buying some cookies?” Whether they bought or not, she always 48 a smile.‎ Her hard work finally 49 . She sold 42,000 boxes of cookies that year and she won her trip around the world.‎ Markita is not 50 than thousands of other people. The key to her 51 is that she has found the secret of selling: Ask, Ask, Ask! Many people fail 52 they even begin because of their fear of 53 .‎ It takes courage to ask for what you want. Courage is not the 54 of fear. It’s doing what it takes despite one’s fear. And, as Markita has discovered, the more you ask, the 55 ‎ it gets.‎ ‎41.‎ A. spent B. generated C. withdrew D. received ‎42.‎ A. threw B. brought C. transformed D. persuaded ‎43.‎ A. starts B. mixes C. corresponds D. deals ‎44.‎ A. created B. realized C. remembered D. shared ‎45.‎ A. push B. go C. look D. blow ‎46.‎ A. enjoying B. organizing C. booking D. earning ‎47.‎ A. drop B. cut C. invest D. live ‎48.‎ A. forced B. wore C. pretended D. produced ‎49.‎ A. paid back B. turned up C. paid off D. turned around ‎50.‎ A. smarter B. richer C. higher D. prettier ‎51.‎ A. success B. discovery C. delivery D. progress ‎52.‎ A. after B. until C. once D. before ‎53.‎ A. interaction B. rejection C. competition D. discrimination ‎54.‎ A. cause B. experience C. presence D. absence ‎55.‎ A. easier B. more C. faster D. harder 第二节 (共 10 小题；每小题 1.5 分，满分 15 分)‎ 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1 个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。‎ The China International Search and Rescue Team (CISAR) was formed in 2001 and is now made up of several hundred rescue workers and about 20 sniffer dogs. The team bring help and hope to those 56 lives are changed by a storm, floods, earthquake, or any other 57 (nature) disaster.‎ After long and careful training, the team went on 58 (it) first international rescue missions in 2003. That year, the Chinese team helped save lives after earthquakes in Algeria and Iran. It was the first time that a Chinese team 59 (work) outside China, and the team won high praise for their 60 (brave) and skill.‎ Rescue workers are trained to find people, treat injuries, and hand out food, water and other 61 (supply). They have to be able to do work that is difficult under conditions which can be very dangerous. After a disaster, there is usually no electricity or water, and there may be diseases and accidents. Rescue workers get to save lives, but they must also bury 62 dead. That means they have to be strong both 63 body and mind.‎ Rescue workers must have big hearts, too. It takes a lot of love and courage ‎ 64 (risk) one’s own life to save someone else’s. The members of the CISAR have plenty of both and are always ready to go 65 help is needed.‎ 第四部分 写作 (共两节，满分 40 分) ‎ 第一节 应用文写作 (满分 15 分)‎ 假定你是李华, 本周日将在人民剧场上演越剧《梁山伯与祝英台》。请给你的好友英国交换生 Lucy 写封邮件, 邀请她一同前往观看。内容包括:‎ 1. 发出邀请；‎ 2. 介绍该剧；‎ 3. 约定见面时间和地点。注意：‎ 1. 词数80左右；‎ 2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。参考词汇: 越剧 Shaoxing opera ‎《梁山伯与祝英台》The Butterfly Lovers Dear Lucy,‎ ‎______________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎______________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎______________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎______________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎______________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎______________________________________________________________________________‎ Yours,‎ Li Hua 第二节 读后续写 (满分 25 分)‎ 阅读下面材料, 根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为 150 左右。‎ Peter heard his little sister Eva’s weak cries as Mother wrapped her in a heavy blanket. Peter’s parents would be heading to town soon to take Eva to the doctor. “Remember to keep the stove going,” Father said, “And check on the cow now and then in the barn ( 畜棚). Her calf ( 小牛) may come at any time.” “I will,” said Peter. Peter promised as his parents walked out into the cold. He didn’t want to add to their worry.‎ ‎“Today I must manage on my own,” Peter said out loud to make himself feel braver.‎ ‎ Father often said they all had to pull their own weight (尽本分) in their new home on the farm. Peter hoped he could do that.‎ The tiny one-room house felt big with only him in it. He carefully added one piece of wood to the small iron stove.‎ The morning passed quickly as Peter worked on the sled he was making. After eating at noon, he took melted-snow water to the cow. In the afternoon, Peter heard the winds increase. He decided he’d better check on the cow again.‎ Peter put on his heavy woolen coat and stepped out of the door. The wind blew snow crystals into his face and his breath froze into a patch (小片) of ice on his scarf before he arrived.‎ Lying on the dirt floor was a newborn calf, on whose tiny body ice had already begun forming. The cow mooed ( 哞哞叫) and licked her newborn. Peter knew this calf was important to his family. But the calf looked weak, shivering on the ground. “I have to get the calf to the house or it’ll freeze to death,” Peter thought.‎ Para. 1: He tried to lift it, but it was too heavy. _______________________________________‎ ‎_____________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎_____________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎_____________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎_____________________________________________________________________________‎ Para. 2: “I need to fetch some milk for it,” Peter said to himself. _________________________‎ ‎_____________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎_____________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎_____________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎_____________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎_____________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎_____________________________________________________________________________‎ 注 意 事 项考生在答题前请认真阅读本注意事项及各题答题要求1．本试卷满分为 150 分，考试时间为 120 分钟。‎ 2. 答卷前，务必将姓名、班级、学号、考场号、座位号、准考证号填写在答题卡上。‎ 3. 请用 0.5 毫米黑色签字笔按题号在答题卡指定区域作答，在其它位置作答一律无效。‎ ‎【参考答案】‎ 第一部分 听力 (共两节，20小题; 每小题1.5分，满分30分)‎ ‎1-5 CCBAA 6-10 CBBBC 11-15 BABBA 16-20 CCCAB 第二部分 阅读 (共两节， 满分50分)‎ 第一节 (共15小题; 每小题2.5分，满分37.5分)‎ ‎21-25 DBCBD 26-30 DACAC 31-35 BCDBA 第二节(共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分)‎ ‎36-40 CAEFB 第三部分语言运用 (共两节，满分30分)‎ 第一节(共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分)‎ ‎41-45 BCADB 46-50 DCBCA 51-55 ADBDA 第二节(共10小题；每小题1.5分， 满分15分)‎ ‎56. whose 57.natural 58. its 59. had worked ‎ ‎60. bravery 61. supplies 62. the 63. in ‎ ‎64. to risk 65. where/wherever/when/whenever 第四部分写作(共两节，满分40分)‎ 第一节 应用文写作 (满分15分)‎ Dear Lucy,‎ ‎ Knowing that you are fairly interested in Chinese traditional operas, I’m writing to invite you to watch oneto be staged at the People’s Theatre this Sunday. ‎ ‎ It’s a Shaoxing opera called The Butterfly Lovers, a Chinese legend of a tragic love story, which is also known as the Chinese Romeo and Juliet. Moreover, this opera features elegant costumes, beautiful singing and an awesome setting. So grand is it that you can’t miss it. ‎ ‎ We can meet at 6 p.m. at the school gate. Looking forward to your earliest reply.‎ Yours, ‎ Li Hua 第二节 读后续写 (满分25 分)‎ He tried to lift it, but it was too heavy. An idea suddenly occurred to him. He quickly took off his coat, placed it on the ground, and gently slid the calf onto it. As carefully as he could, Peter ‎ pulled the calf out of the barn into the house. The cold wind bit into his body as he made his way back. He pulled the calf near the stove and wrapped the little animal in his quilt. The calf lay on his coat, trembling and unable to lift its head. Exhausted and chilly, he stood next to the stove, wondering what to do next. ‎ ‎“I need to fetch some milk for it,” Peter said to himself.He rushed to the barn with a bucket and got some milk from the cow. Ice crystals formed on the milk before he even reached the door. Peter was just beginning to spoon milk into the calf’s mouth when Father and Mother burst into the house. “How did you get this calf in here?” Father asked, bending down to examine the animal. Peter explained how he had pulled the calf on his coat. “Good job!” Father said, patting him on the shoulder. Peter said with a broad smile, “Just pulling my own weight.” ‎ 附录：听力原文 ‎(Text 1)‎ W: I think you’re supposed to get in line back there. ‎ M: I’m sorry. I didn’t see the line. ‎ ‎(Text 2)‎ M: Washing dishes in the restaurant every day is really boring.‎ W: Why don’t you quit and deliver flowers for me?‎ ‎(Text 3)‎ M: Hey, Veronica, you look a little pale.‎ W: Yeah, I think it must have been something I ate. I’m going to go home and lie down.‎ M: That’s a good idea. I hope you feel better.‎ ‎(Text 4)‎ W: Fill her up, please.‎ M: With pleasure, madam. Would you like me to take a look at the engine?‎ W: No thanks. How much do I owe you?‎ M: 3 pounds, please.‎ ‎(Text 5)‎ W: The price of green beans has increased a lot. Now, they cost 30 yuan a kilogram.‎ M: I know! Fiver years ago, they were only a third of that price.‎ ‎(Text 6)‎ W: What do you think about the weekend comedy show on Channel 3?‎ M: It’s a waste of time. The plot is boring.‎ W: I like the leading actor. He is great at expressing complex emotions. Maybe that’s why he’s starred in many box-office hits and won the Oscar for Best Actor last year.‎ M: He has an attractive face. That’s all. But beauty is only skin-deep, you know.‎ W: Come on! It’s impossible for someone to win the Oscar for Best Actor because of good looks alone. It takes hard work and a lot of professional support from the other members of the cast and crew.‎ ‎(Text 7)‎ W: Friendship Air Flight Reservation. May I help you?‎ M: Yes, please. My boss Walter White has a reservation on Flight 821 for New York, leaving at 1:30 tomorrow afternoon. I’m afraid it will be difficult for him to make it at that time. Is there a later flight tomorrow evening?‎ W: Wait a moment, I’ll check...Oh, yes. There is a flight at 8:00 tomorrow evening.‎ M: That would be fine. Can you change the reservation for me, please?‎ W: All right. I’ll cancel the ticket for Flight 821 and book a seat on Flight 123 for New York.‎ M: Great. Can Mr. White pick up his ticket at the airport?‎ W: Yes, sir. But it must be collected no later than 7:20 p.m.‎ M: Does he need to pay a cancellation fee?‎ W: That won’t be necessary. May I have your name and phone number, sir?‎ M: OK. My name is Same Hitchens, and my phone number is 23246785.‎ W: Thank you very much.‎ ‎(Text 8)‎ M: Miss Jones, could you tell me more about your last job?‎ W: Yes, certainly. I was a marketing consultant for 10 Italian restaurants. ‎ M: Which markets were you responsible for?‎ W: Europe and China.‎ M: I know that you speak Chinese. Have you ever been to China?‎ W: Yes, I have. I spent a few months in China in 2011. I met all the key people in the tourism ‎ industry. Because I speak Chinese, I had a very big advantage.‎ M: Have you had any contact with China in your present job?‎ W: Yes, quite a lot. In fact, the market for all types of luxury holidays for Chinese tourists has increased a lot recently.‎ M: Really? I’d like to hear more about that. Tell me, though, how did you travel when you were in China?‎ W: I usually traveled by train. I love train travel. That’s why I’m very interested in this job. Sometimes I took planes, but only when I was in a hurry.‎ ‎(Text 9)‎ W: So Marvin, what do you want to be when you grow up?‎ M: I don’t know.‎ W: Come on, Marvin. Everyone else in the class told us about their dreams. We all want to hear about yours.‎ M: OK. I want to be a ... a... oh, I don’t want to say it.‎ W: Go on. It’s OK, really.‎ M: OK. I want to be a nurse.‎ W: Oh...well, that’s a wonderful job. Now class, being a nurse isn’t just for women, you know. There are a lot of male nurses in some of the best hospitals in the country.‎ M: Right, that’s what my uncle told me. He wanted to be doctor, but he realized that he cared more about getting to know his patients and helping them on a daily basis instead of arguing with insurance companies and trying to earn the most money. So, he became a nurse, instead.‎ W: When did you decide that you wanted to be a nurse, Marvin?‎ M: I think it was when I visited my uncle at work in St. Mary’s Hospital. He got permission from the hospital to show me around, and I even got to meet some of his patients! It was really cool to see him working there. I want to be just like him.‎ W: Good for you, Marvin!‎ ‎(Text 10)‎ I used to dream about Pisa when I was a boy. I read about a famous building called the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But when I read the word “Pisa”, I was thinking of pizza. I thought this tower was a ‎ place to buy pizza. It must be the best pizza in the world, I thought. ‎ Many years later, I finally saw the famous tower. I knew then that it was Pisa, not pizza. But there was still something special about it for me. The tower got its name because it really does lean to one side. Some people want to try to fix it. They are afraid it may fall over and they do not like the way it looks.‎ I don’t think it’s a good idea to try to fix it. The tower will probably not fall down. It is more than 600 years old. Why should anything happen to it now? And, if you ask me, I like the way it looks. I like the way it leans over the city. To me, it is a very human kind of building. It seems to say that nothing is perfect.‎ And who cares? Why do people want things to be perfect? Imperfect things are more interesting. Take the tower in Pisa: why is it so famous? There are many older, more beautiful towers in Italy. But Pisa’s tower is the most famous. People come from all over the world to see it.‎